Cricket star Shane Warne has been handed back his driving licence as he challenges a ban for breaking the speed limit six times in three years.
The former Australian leg spinner, 50, was given a 12-month ban and ordered to pay £1,845 by Wimbledon magistrates last year after amassing 18 points on his licence.
But Warne is now fighting the disqualification, arguing it should only have been six months and could possibly have been avoided due to the “exceptional hardship” it has had on his life.
At Kingston crown court, Judge John Lodge agreed to temporarily restore Warne’s licence until his appeal on October 30.
“Your argument on appeal is it’s the first time he has been subjected to the totting-up disqualification, and that being the case there was no reason for the magistrate not to impose a disqualification of six months,” said the judge.
John Dye, representing Warne, left, who was not present, said: “The second point, if that doesn’t find favour, is potential exceptional hardship in relation to this case.”
Warne managed to get 15 points on his licence for five offences between April 2016 and August 2017 without being banned.
However, he was caught speeding again by a camera on the A40 in Kensington in a hired Jaguar in August 2018, driving at 47mph in a 40mph zone.
He did not attend court in September last year when he was disqualified.
Deputy District Judge Adrian Turner said he was imposing the 12-month ban to reflect Warne’s record of offences. “The purpose of disqualification is to protect the public and to deter”, he told the court.
“Mr Warne has now committed six speeding offences, and it may be that none on their own are particularly serious. But this is a case which plainly calls for a disqualification period in excess of six months.”
Warne, who lives in Maida Vale, pleaded guilty to one count of speeding at the magistrates’ court.
